Mark on the Move

More than Once

I have mentioned previously that after I experienced my strokes in 2007, I was hospitalized for six weeks. When I awoke, my wife explained to me that I had also endured major brain surgery, and I had a long recovery ahead of me. You can probably imagine that when I was given that news I was devastated. I recalled my mother telling me, as a young boy that “God will only give you what you can handle”. My mother was referencing 1st Corinthians 10:13. The scripture helped me to bear the initial shock of the news of my stroke.

I must admit that after getting over the initial shock of suffering two strokes, as I tried to get out of my hospital bed, I realized that I REALLY COULDN’T WALK. The reality of my situation hit me again. I recall weeks later one morning, listening to gospel music in the car. The station was playing Jonathan Butler’s “Lord I Lift Your Name on High”. The lyrics touched me:

Lord, I lift Your name on high
Lord, I love to sing Your praises
I’m so glad You’re in my life
I’m so glad You came to save us
You came from heaven to earth
To show the way
From the earth to the cross
My debt to pay
From the cross to the grave
From the grave to the sky
Lord, I lift Your name on high

Hearing the words reminded me that Christ already has paid our debt. Again, it prompted me to surrender to Him.
After getting over the shock of the strokes, and the reality of not being able to walk, I was then hit with the certainty that walking again was going to be hard, if at all. While lamenting my lack of progress one day to my wife, she simply told me that while she knew it was hard I needed to trust Him. Again, it was wise counsel to not lose my faith.

While surrendering was important to my recovery, I discovered that sometimes you must surrender more than once.

1 Corinthians 10:13
There hath no temptation taken you, but such as is common to man: but God [is] faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear [it].